Wild at Heart
by Gingehfish
Summary: Three young ThunderClan warriors have been thrust from their forest home and into the human world. Together, they must join the children of Annie and Ryan Crimsen to defeat an old enemy, and decide whether they will remain with their Twoleg friends, or prove they are wild at heart. {the FOURTH installment in THE CHAOS CHRONICLES} AU.
1. Chapter 1

_At long last, here it is! The fourth installment in my Chaos Chronicles series, just in time for the holidays!_

_Merry Christmas!_

_(Also, if you haven't read the first three stories in the Chaos Chronicles, this is likely to not make any sense at all. They're all located on my profile - Chaos in the Clans, Reaching Through Time, and Meddling with Destiny. If you could give those a read and then come back to Wild at Heart, that would be much appreciated!)_

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><p><strong>THE CHAOS CHRONICLES<strong>

**WILD AT HEART**

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><p>"<em>I'll follow you where you're leading<br>__To the first sweet taste of freedom  
><em>_You got me runnin' baby,  
><em>_Wild at heart..."_

—Gloriana, "Wild at Heart"

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><p><strong>CHAPTER ONE<strong>

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><p>Annie turned restlessly in her sleep, grunting and shifting positions. One hand hung loosely from her bed; the other clutched her husband's arm. Beside her, Ryan slept like the dead, silent and still. Annie muttered and pulled the covers closer to her head. At last, she stopped moving and began to breathe more deeply, more at peace.<p>

Her dreams had changed from odd to strange. Before, she had been dreaming of a bloody and vicious war between cows with laser eyes and vampiric unicorns, but her mind had now wandered elsewhere. She now dreamt of StarClan.

Sometimes she was Shadow, ancient and cranky founder of one of the great four Clans. Other times she was Snow, shaper of the mountain Tribe, sharing tongues with the Tribe of Endless Hunting. But now—as she most often was—she walked as Gingerstar, leader of ThunderClan during the Dark Forest War.

StarClan was bright and peaceful, just the way Annie liked it. She didn't often come here—the cats of the Warriors world usually left her alone—but when she did, it was for a reason. It rarely affected her personal life—not anymore, her questing days were over—but it still made her sigh slightly. StarClan, it seemed, would never stop needing her.

She nodded hello to the various cats she had known in her time, including her former Clanmates, her human-cat classmates, and cats she had grown to know only in death. Each of them seemed content, as was she: nearly twenty years of peace had passed since her last excursion into the Warriors world, and she had scarcely been bothered by StarClan in that time.

Annie had a life now, a life in the human world. A year after she and her husband Ryan had married, she had gone to college and earned a degree in teaching. She had taught high school for a few years as her husband worked as an engineer, but when he was promoted in his work, she left the public schooling system and became a private tutor.

After a few years, she and Ryan had decided to become parents. Now they had four children: three boys and a girl. They could be trying at times, but Annie and Ryan loved them.

Eldest was Samuel Jeffery Crimsen. He was named for Samantha Xavier, Annie's good friend and companion in the Warriors world twice over, and for Ryan's brother Jeffery, gone from the human world to live as Jay's Wing with the Ancient Tribe. Sammy, seventeen, often tried his parents' patience, but he was an excellent soccer player and very popular at school.

Kyle Braiden Crimsen was second, named for Annie's longtime deputy and human friend Kyle York, as well as his parents' cat son Brackentail. (They had taken the _Bra_ in _Bracken_ and found from it _Braiden_.) Kyle, fifteen, was shyer than his older brother, an A-grade student who preferred photography and art to sports.

Mason Oliver Crimsen was only named for one person: Annie and Ryan's cat son Owleyes. (The _O_ in _Owleyes_ had made them think of another name they liked, _Oliver_.) His parents picked the name _Mason_ simply because they liked it. Mason, thirteen, had a lovely tenor voice and loved to sing. He was a sweet-hearted boy.

Youngest of all was Holly Thalia Crimsen, the only girl. She had been named for Ryan's sister Hollyleaf, as well as her parents' cat child Thornfang. (_Thorn_..._Thalia_.) The whole family doted on the little princess, who could be a bit bratty at times, but was mostly very sweet. At seven years old, she spoke very fluently.

Annie smiled as she thought of her current life and her children, but continued to walk through the dazzling StarClan territory. She felt that this visit was different than the others—there was more of a sense of purpose to it, one she didn't feel when she came to just catch up with old friends. She made her way to the top of the tallest hill in StarClan and looked down upon the rest of the territory.

"It's beautiful, isn't it," a familiar voice said behind her.

Annie turned and smiled up at her old friend Darkstar of RiverClan, whom she knew as Gennie in the human world. "Gennie," she purred. "What are you doing here?"

Gennie smiled, her blue eyes bright, and sat next to her. "Just visiting, I think. You?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted, swishing her tail. "It feels...a little different."

"Maybe Star and Moon have a prophecy for you to deliver," Gennie suggested.

Annie frowned. "I'm...not really on speaking terms with them anymore."

"Come on, Moon's got a good head on her shoulders," the black-furred she-cat said persuasively.

Annie scowled. "I'm sure I've told you about what she and Star did to me."

Gennie sighed. "They've left you alone since, haven't they?"

"Well...yeah," Annie admitted.

"Then you shouldn't hold ThunderClan back by not getting a prophecy from them."

Annie sighed and nodded. "You're right, I know. I'll go talk to them and see what they want." She paused. "Hey, you know, I haven't talked to you in real life recently. Could you and the family come over for dinner some time? Are you busy next Saturday?"

"I don't think so," Gennie said thoughtfully. "I'll ask Elliot and email you." She smiled, the stood, her image fading. "I'm waking up—I think I need to feed the baby, she's screaming. Sound's getting fuzzy. Goodbye!"

"Bye, Gennie," Annie said warmly. She didn't envy her friend of the task of comforting a screaming baby. She was glad Holly was past that stage—well, Holly didn't bother her in the night, at least.

As Gennie faded back to the real world, Annie stood and made her way down the hill. A few minutes later, moving with the speed of the stars, she found herself outside the den of Star and Moon, first of all cats. They were the ones who saw the future and told the StarClan cats what was to come. It was up to StarClan to turn that information into mystical prophecies, however.

She hesitantly poked her nose through the opening. "Come in," a voice called.

Annie took a deep breath and walked in. Two ridiculously beautiful and perfect cats greeted: Star and Moon.

"Greetings," Star said, sounding rather bored. "How can we help you?"

Annie scowled at him. "Don't pretend you don't know me, Star."

He frowned at her for a moment. Then, suddenly, he opened his mouth. "Ahh," he exclaimed. "Yes. You. The bet I won. Hello, Annie."

"I'm sorry," Moon whispered to her. Star was oblivious.

Annie grunted. "Yeah, fine. Now...why did you call me here?"

"Oh...yes," Star said. "_That_ business."

"We just thought we would let you know we have nothing to do with what's going to come," Moon said. "Well..._mostly_ nothing. Besides that, we have no more information specifically for _you_."

"Amberstar, the current leader of ThunderClan, needs some enlightening, however," Star put in. "Summon her here to the Moonpool...and tell her to bring her three best young warriors with her. Tell her Dovewing wants to see her."

"And which ones would those be?" Annie asked cautiously.

Moon smiled. "She'll just have to figure that out for herself."

"Fine," Annie snapped. "So. Amberstar and three young warriors must come to the Moonpool, and what happens next _mostly_ isn't your fault."

"Yes," Star confirmed. He yawned and lay down. "You may go now."

"Goodbye, Annie," Moon murmured as she left.

Slightly worried, Annie quickly loped to the ThunderClan camp. She poked her head into the leader's den—_her_ old den—and gently prodded Amberstar.

The golden-colored she-cat was young, but she was wise for her age. She had led ThunderClan well so far, and showed promise to continue to do so.

Amberstar opened her pale yellow eyes and said in surprise, "Gingerstar?" The young leader recognized her, as Annie had given Amberstar her sixth life during the living cat's leader ceremony.

"Hello, Amberstar," Annie purred, trying her best to act like an aloof StarClan cat. She always hated visiting the living. She was too casual and hated giving mysterious prophecies. At least _this_ was only a summons—presumably it would be Dovewing who gave her the actual prophecy.

"Why are you here, Gingerstar?" Amberstar asked, shifting uncomfortably.

"I come to pass along a message," she said. "Dovewing wants to see you at the Moonpool as soon as possible. She asks you to bring your three best young warriors with you."

"Dovewing?" Amberstar asked nervously. It had been many, many moons since Dovewing had left ThunderClan due to her immortality, and she was both revered and feared by the living cats of the Clans. "Did she say which ones?"

Annie shook her head. "No, she said to let you choose."

Amberstar sighed. "Thank you, Gingerstar. Let her know I'm coming."

"I will," she said, dipping her head. "Goodbye."

"'Bye," Amberstar muttered, drifting back into her sleep. Annie turned and bounded out of her den and into the ThunderClan camp. She breathed in the familiar scent and smiled. She had missed her territory and her camp.

She felt herself fading back into the human world, her body tugging on her catlike spirit. She sighed and allowed herself to be pulled back home.

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><p><em>- So what do you think? Interesting enough to keep you reading for the next twenty-three chapters?<em>

_Read and review, please!_


	2. Chapter 2

Oh my gosh! Eleven reviews, and only one chapter?! Thank you all SO much for your support! :D

Just a heads up: I'm gonna be uploading new stories for other fandoms soon, as well as some more for Warriors, so updates here might become sporadic. I'll try to update often, though! If you're interested in The Kane Chronicles, How to Train Your Dragon (primarily the books), Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit (specifically Tauriel), or Tamora Pierce's Tortall books, and would like to read some fanfiction for those fandoms, I'd appreciate a follow, and you'd get some stories!

Thank you, and here's chapter two, introducing some of our protagonists! :)

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><p><strong>CHAPTER TWO<strong>

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><p>Poolgaze was usually a deep sleeper. When she grew tired, she slept, and nothing could wake her from her slumber. Luckily for ThunderClan, she didn't snore. Her still body was often a pain to crawl over in the morning as the warriors crept out of their den for the dawn patrol.<p>

On this particular night, she slept as deeply as she would on any other. She had no intentions of rising early; she was not scheduled for the dawn patrol. Unfortunately, Finchwing had another idea.

"Wake _up_," a voice muttered in her ear.

Poolgaze only groaned and turned over in her nest.

A paw prodded her sharply in the ribs, effectively rousing her to wakefulness. Grumpy, Poolgaze decided not let on.

"Why won't she wake up?" the voice complained to someone else.

Poolgaze sighed internally. It was Finchwing. She wouldn't rest until she had risen.

"I'm awake," she said through a yawn, cracking open her deep blue eyes.

"Oh, good," Finchwing said in relief. "Well, come on! Get up!"

"What do you want?" Poolgaze grumbled as she stood.

"That's what I'm saying," another cat said testily. Grayfeather. Well, if Finchwing wanted Poolgaze up, chances were Grayfeather would also be involved.

"You'll see," Finchwing said confidently, her amber eyes bright. "Come on, follow me!"

The lithe tabby she-cat turned and wove her way through the mess of sleeping warriors and out of the den. Grayfeather rolled her green eyes and followed her. Poolgaze, now much more awake, left too, more curious than disgruntled.

Finchwing led them out of the camp and through ThunderClan's territory. Poolgaze followed, listening to Grayfeather grumble to herself.

"Stupid...middle of the night...forest...tired..._ugh_," Grayfeather growled under her breath. If Poolgaze could hear her, she was sure that Finchwing could also, but the tabby she-cat chose to ignore Grayfeather's protests.

"Where are we going?" Poolgaze asked Finchwing.

The older warrior only flicked her ears in response, plunging further into the depths of the forest.

"She wouldn't answer me, either," Grayfeather groused. "Aloof, mysterious..._stupid_."

Poolgaze smiled. "Come on. This is bound to be fun, if she gets up this early!"

The gray-furred she-cat only snorted and rolled her eyes.

They walked on for a little longer. Then Finchwing turned and stopped, beaming at them. "Here we go!" she exclaimed.

"What is this?" Grayfeather demanded, squinting into the patch of forest in front of her. "All I see is a tree and..._oh_."

Poolgaze gasped, suddenly seeing it. The thing was huge—a strange den-like thing, looking like it was cut from a tree and stuck together with more trees, but without the leaves. It was ancient, old and crumbling, and the forest's greenery had mostly overtaken it.

"What is it?" she asked in wonder, her clear blue eyes wide.

Finchwing purred, sitting up proudly. "I heard one of the elders talking about it yesterday, and I couldn't sleep tonight, so I went looking. It's a Twoleg nest."

"There used to be _Twolegs_ in our territory?" Grayfeather said in awe.

Finchwing shrugged. "A very long time ago, before the Clans arrived at the Lake. Jayfeather—one of the Three—found catmint here and used it to save the Clans, way back when."

"You really believe those stories?" Grayfeather said incredulously. "About the Three, with magic powers and all?"

Finchwing shoved her friend playfully. "Of course! If you don't believe in the Three, do you even believe in StarClan?"

"Well..." Grayfeather hesitated. "I do believe in StarClan. But the Three? That sounds like made-up stories to me. I mean, come on. Reading minds? Invincibility? Super senses? That's ridiculous. Not to mention the other stories—going back in time, vanishing, becoming immortal...it's stupid. They're made up stories, just for kits."

"Grayfeather," Poolgaze said placatingly. "Come on. You loved those stories when you a kit—even when you were an apprentice!"

Grayfeather rolled her green eyes. "I'm a _warrior_ now. I don't have time for Twoleg nests and kit stories."

"Come on, Grayfeather," Finchwing said placatingly. "Where's your adventuresome spirit? Your sense of wonder?"

"I don't have one," the gray-furred she-cat snapped, her eyes flashing. "I don't need one anymore." She whirled around and stalked away. "I'm going back to camp. I need to sleep, I've got dawn patrol."

Finchwing scowled, her amber eyes darkening as they stared at Grayfeather's retreating figure. Poolgaze stared at her, her eyes wide with shock.

"What are you looking at?" the golden tabby snapped.

"N-nothing!" Poolgaze squeaked. Out of the three of them, she was the youngest. Finchwing and Grayfeather were littermates, and Poolgaze had always been a moon behind them in training. Still, she had worked twice as hard and had earned her reward when she was made a warrior at the same time as Finchwing and Grayfeather. Still she strove to prove herself to her older friends, especially the fiery and enigmatic Finchwing.

"I'll go exploring the nest with you," Poolgaze offered, smiling timidly. "That...is why you brought us here, right?"

Finchwing scowled. "Yeah. I don't really want to do it without Grayfeather, though."

"Oh...okay," she said quietly. "Are...we going back then?"

The golden-furred tabby sighed. "Yeah, I guess so." She grinned at Poolgaze. "She sure is a grump when she's tired, isn't she?"

"Yeah," Poolgaze agreed. She remembered their other nighttime frolics, mostly from their apprenticeship. Grayfeather had always trailed behind unenthusiastically, though she had always come and gotten into it after a while.

"She's always been that way," Finchwing confided, padding away from the Twoleg den. Hastily, Poolgaze trotted after her. "Ever since we were born. Though you know that as well as I, Tagalong."

Poolgaze smiled to hear her kithood nickname. The two sisters had at first teased and mistreated her when she tried to play with the older kits, calling her "Tagalong", but eventually they accepted her and used it as a term of endearment.

"She'll come tomorrow afternoon," Finchwing added confidently.

"She won't be nearly so tired then," Poolgaze agreed.

They arrived at the camp and crawled back into their nests, careful not to disturb the senior warriors, like they had done for moons and even seasons to the ones they had trained with in their early apprenticeship.

Grayfeather was already there, curled up and asleep. Poolgaze settled into her nest, her blue-gray fur fluffed up against the night's chill.

"Goodnight, Finchwing," she whispered, closing her eyes.

"G'night, Poolgaze," the other she-cat sighed in return.

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><p>The next afternoon, Finchwing gathered them all up again. Grayfeather, though she sighed and rolled her eyes, agreed to come now that it wasn't the middle of the night.<p>

Poolgaze was excited to go on another adventure. They hadn't done something quite like this since they were apprentices. Finchwing seemed bright and happy, too, and even Grayfeather had some of the old gleam in her eyes as they left the camp to go traipsing through the forest in search of the Twoleg nest.

They had barely stepped foot outside the camp when a voice called out, "Finchwing? Finchwing!"

The golden she-cat sighed and rolled her eyes. "Thorntail," she muttered in exasperation. "Not _again_."

Poolgaze smiled sympathetically. Thorntail was trying to court Finchwing, even though she had made it clear she was uninterested. He often butted his way into their conversations to flirt.

"What is it this time?" Finchwing demanded, turning to face the broad-shouldered black tom.

He blinked, surprised at her irritation. "Calm down, sweetheart!" he exclaimed, smiling. "As much as I'd _love_ to stay and talk some—"

"Don't you always," Grayfeather commented under her breath.

"—I've got to go on patrol. No, Amberstar sent me," Thorntail explained.

"Amberstar?" Poolgaze said in surprise, tuning into the conversation.

"She wants to see you three in her den. Something about the Moonpool," he said flippantly. "I'll catch you a starling, sweetie!" he called out as Finchwing pushed past him, heading back through the camp entrance.

"I can catch my own prey!" she snarled back at him. "Thanks for the message, but leave me alone!"

"I wonder what Amberstar wants," Grayfeather said thoughtfully as they crossed the camp, heading to the leader's den.

"Let's find out," Finchwing said boldly, leaping up the rocks. "Amberstar? You wanted to see us?"

"Yes," their leader's voice said from behind the lichen covering the entrance. "Please...come in. We have much to discuss."

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><p><em>- Read and <strong>review<strong>!_


	3. Chapter 3

Aaand here are the other protagonists!

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><p><strong>CHAPTER THREE<strong>

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><p>Kyle got home from his friend Tyler's house at two PM, but his day was far from over.<p>

He slammed the door closed and took off his shoes, calling out, "Mom! I'm home!"

"Good job, honey!" she called back, a little snarkily. Kyle rolled his eyes. And she told _him_ to watch his attitude. "I'm with a student right now, how about you fix yourself a snack, then help out Holly and Mason?"

"'Kay, Mom!" he replied, taking off his shoes. He walked over to the kitchen, running a hand through his blonde hair, inherited from his father, and pulled out a bag of chips from the pantry. His little sister Holly sat coloring a picture of Simba from _The Lion King_ on the counter. He sat down next to her and commented, "You know, Simba's yellow, not green."

"I can do what I want, Kyle!" she exclaimed. "It's better this way."

"All right," he agreed, shoving some chips in his face. "Where's Sammy?"

"Dunno," Holly said, focusing on the picture of the lion cub she was defacing. "Ask Mason."

"Where's Mason?"

Holly pointed down the hall. "Music room."

"Thanks, sis," he told her. "Here, have the rest." He tossed her the half-empty bag of chips, which she caught in delight. Kyle stood up and walked down to the music room, where the sounds of a pure tenor voice rang out clearly. Mason was practicing.

Kyle opened the door and said cheerfully, "Hey, Mason."

The young boy faltered and stopped singing, looking up at his older brother. "What do you want, Kyle?"

"Where's Sammy?" Kyle asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Soccer practice," Mason answered. "He went with Gregor. Said he wouldn't be back 'til evening."

Kyle scowled. "He owes me ten bucks. He told me he'd pay me back today."

"There's still time," Mason said with a shrug. He leaned down and flipped some pages in his music. "Can you play for me?"

"Homeward Bound?" he asked, walking in and shutting the door behind him.

"Yeah," his little brother confirmed. "Have you practiced since last time?"

"Some," Kyle said. "Move over." He sat down at the piano and began to play. It was a slow piece, very sweet and solemn.

After a few measures of introduction, Mason began to sing. "_In the quiet misty morning, when the moon has gone to bed...When the sparrows stop their singing, and the sky is clear and red..._"

Kyle focused on his music, trying not to mess up while still listening to his brother's beautiful tenor voice.

"_When the summer's ceased its gleaming, when the corn is past its prime...When adventure's lost its meaning, I'll be homeward bound in time..._"

Kyle smiled and crescendoed his playing as the music intensified. He had to focus more on the movements of his fingers than the lyrics of the song.

"_Bind me not to the pasture, chain me not to the plow...Set me free to find my calling, and I'll return to you somehow!_"

The song went on, and Kyle was prepared to play it, but Mason stopped him.

"Can we go over measure eleven again?" he asked. "I wasn't breathing right."

"Sure," Kyle said, backing up.

They practiced for another half hour, until Mason complained his voice was tired. By then, their mother was done with the student she was tutoring, and Kyle was able to talk to her.

"So, how was Tyler?" Annie Crimsen asked her son.

Kyle shrugged. "Cool. We hung out, played some video games."

"You know, when I was your age—"

"Yeah, yeah," Kyle interrupted, rolling his eyes. "You and Dad and your cousins did things like exploring caves and getting lost in the forest."

His mom nodded. "Of course, I admit I spent a lot of time on the computer. But still. Why don't you and Tyler go to the park next time?"

"And do what?" he demanded. "Sit and look at clouds? _Boring_."

Annie shrugged. "You could go camping."

Kyle groaned. "Then Dad would want to come along."

"Why not?" Annie suggested. "You and your brothers and Tyler, maybe Gregor and Isaac too, and their fathers—"

Kyle pulled a face. "Definitely not."

"Well, did you help Mason when you got home?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, I played Homeward Bound for him."

"Good." Annie nodded and took a sip of water. "Sammy said he'd be home late. You might have to do his dishes."

Kyle groaned. "Really? Why can't Mason do it—or Holly?"

"Holly's too young," his mother explained. "And Mason did it last night."

"I have to do it tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow's Saturday," Annie disagreed. "You remember my friend Gennie? We're going out to dinner with her family."

"Right," Kyle grumbled. "I'll do Sammy's stinking dishes." He stood up. "I'm gonna go watch some TV, okay?"

"Fine," Annie said, throwing her hands up in surrender. "Just don't forget that the outside world exists, too!"

Kyle did end up doing Sammy's dishes that night, finishing up just as his older brother slammed the door closed.

"Hey family!" the older boy shouted. "I'm home!"

"What an achievement," Kyle said sarcastically, wiping his hands dry. "Having fun while I did _your_ dishes?"

"Chillax, Kyle," Sammy said, grinning. "Nah, practice was a bit rough. Thomas—our goalie—called in sick, so we had to get a sub, and they were all awful. Coach was pissed by the end."

"Sammy! Sammy!" Holly cried out, racing down the hall, holding up her picture proudly. "Lookit what I did!"

"That's great, Holly," he praised her. "Love the green."

The seven-year-old beamed, her dark curls bouncing as she ran back down the hall.

"Is Dad home?" the soccer player asked, taking off his dirty cleats and tossing them in a pile with the other shoes.

"Working late," Kyle replied.

"Is the next episode of Blue Moon any good?" Sammy asked.

Kyle shrugged. "Dunno," he said. "Haven't seen it yet."

"I'll watch it with you," his older brother offered. "Soon as I shower. Make some food for me, okay, bro?"

"Fine," he sighed. "I'll heat something up for you."

"Thanks, man," Sammy said appreciately. He walked away and stomped up the stairs, heading to the shower.

The episode of Blue Moon was pretty good, though Kyle was a little upset that Bridget and Jeremy didn't get together (_again_). Their dad, Ryan Crimsen, came home just as it ended and sang along obnoxiously to the ending theme as the credits rolled.

"Hi, Dad," Kyle greeted him while Sammy shoved his face into a throw pillow, trying to block out his father's caterwauling.

"Hey, boys," Ryan said, plopping down next to his sons. "Was it any good?"

"Yeah, I liked it," Sammy said.

"Bridgemy still isn't canon," Kyle complained.

"Nerd," Sammy teased, elbowing his younger brother.

Kyle only rolled his eyes. Just because he was active in the Blue Moon fandom... At least his parents understood, to some extent. They had really liked this weird kid series about cats, _Warriors_, when they were young, to the extent that his mom had even written some fanfiction. Kyle hadn't tried to read it after he found out it was self-insert, and thus, inherently not any good.

"It's late," Ryan said. "You two should go to bed."

"It's _summer_," Kyle complained.

"It's not like we have to get up early tomorrow," Sammy agreed.

"What else are you going to do tonight?" their father demanded.

Sammy shrugged. "Dunno."

"Mom says I should remember that outside exists," Kyle said craftily. "We could go for a walk outside."

Ryan shrugged. "Okay, fine. But be back by eleven, and don't leave the neighborhood."

"I'll grab my shoes," he said, pleased, getting to his feet.

"Mason will be jealous," Sammy commented as the walked along the lamplit sidewalks.

"That's his problem. "Kyle grunted. "You talked to Becca recently?"

"She's old news, bro," Sammy said, shaking his head. "We broke up a month ago."

"You got your eyes on any other girls?"

His older brother shrugged. "Not anyone in particular. I mean, there are some hot chicks out there, but, like, no one I really want to date, you know?"

"Mhm," Kyle agreed.

"You should get a girlfriend, Kyle," Sammy said, grinning down at his younger brother. His dark hair blended into the night, making his pale skin look even paler in the thin light from the streetlamps.

Kyle laughed. "Like you said—there are lots of hot girls, smart girls, nice girls, whatever...but no one I feel like dating. Maybe when school starts up again."

"You're a sophomore next year, right?" Sammy asked. Kyle nodded. His brother smiled, looking up. "I'm so glad I'm a senior. All my hard classes are done with, and only one more year left!"

They walked a little further. Kyle shivered. It was summer, but the night was still a little chilly. He wished he'd thought to bring a hoodie or something.

"We should probably go back," he said as they reached the end of the neighborhood.

Sammy shrugged his shoulders and turned around. Kyle was about to do so as well, until he heard a horrified yelp from somewhere to his left.

"What was that?" he whispered in surprised.

"Probably a dog," Sammy said carelessly. "You've been watching too much Blue Moon, man. Jump too easy."

The noise came again. It was definitely not a dog—it sounded human.

"That's not a dog," Kyle said warily.

Sammy scowled. "So what?"

"We should go investigate," Kyle urged. "Make sure they're alright."

"I'm going to regret this," Sammy groaned, glancing up to the heavens. He took his hands out of his pockets and crossed his arms. "All right, fine. Let's go take a look."

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><p>- <em>Read and <strong>review!<strong>_


	4. Chapter 4

Here we are, catching back up with our three ThunderClan cats! Oh, and what's this? A new POV? How interesting!

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><p><strong>CHAPTER FOUR<strong>

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><p>Frankly, Grayfeather was glad Thorntail had sent them to Amberstar's den. She was growing very tired of her sister's games. They were warriors now, and they ought to start acting like it. What was worse was that Finchwing kept dragging Poolgaze into this. Grayfeather had always thought she could count on the younger she-cat to listen to her sensible wisdom, but the blue-furred warrior seemed glad to go along with Finchwing's antics.<p>

It was only in the sake of keeping their friendship together that Grayfeather had agreed to go to the Twoleg nest during the day. She drew a line at waking up in the middle of the night, but if Finchwing wanted an adventure during the day...well, fine. Grayfeather would come along if her sister begged.

The three young she-cats walked into the leader's den and sat down in front of Amberstar. Their leader was young, only a few seasons older then they were, and very new at her job. With the counsel and guidance of the senior warriors, she was growing to be a thoughtful, well-informed leader, and someone that Grayfeather appreciated.

Amberstar flicked her golden-furred tail, her pale gray eyes meeting Finchwing's yellow. "Thank you for coming," she said with a smile.

"We're glad to," Grayfeather said graciously.

Amberstar nodded to her and Poolgaze. "Last night," she began, getting down to business, "I received a visit from a StarClan cat. Gingerstar."

"The Dark Forest War leader?" Poolgaze said, leaning forward, her blue eyes alight with interest.

Amberstar nodded. "Gingerstar led our Clan through one of our darkest hours, and though she is not famous throughout the Clans like her predecessor Firestar, she is still one of the most memorable leaders of ThunderClan." She coughed, then continued, "She told me that Dovewing wished to see me at the Moonpool—and that she wanted me to bring three of my brightest young warriors with me."

Grayfeather comprehended what Amberstar was implying immediately. "Oh, thank you, Amberstar!" she exclaimed with a smile. "I'm very flattered, I'm sure we all are—"

Finchwing flashed her an annoyed look, then interrupted her, saying, "Yes, thanks very much."

Poolgaze nodded, her eyes bright. "You really mean it?" she asked in excitement.

"Yes," Amberstar confirmed. "We'll go tonight. It's not too far, we'll be back by morning."

"Thank you, Amberstar!" Grayfeather repeated, smiling widely.

Their leader nodded her head and dismissed them. Nearly bursting with excitement, Grayfeather began to talk rapidly as soon as they left her den.

"Do you believe it?" she asked in elation. "We're going to the _Moonpool_! With _Amberstar_! How's that for an adventure, huh, Finchwing?"

Her sister rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "It would be more fun if we were going by ourselves."

"I'm so excited!" Poolgaze beamed. "Why do you think she picked us to come?"

Finchwing grinned, showing her sharp, white teeth. "Because we're excellent warriors, of course. I'm bold and adventurous, and a fantastic fighter. You're smart and thoughtful and an excellent hunter. And Grayfeather's dutiful and full of flattery."

"Hey!" Grayfeather exclaimed, shoving her sister. "I'm good for more than that!"

Finchwing smiled and laughed. "I'm just kidding, Grayfeather."

She huffed and shoved her again. "Fine."

"So are we going to the Twoleg nest now?" Poolgaze asked hopefully.

Before Finchwing could agree, Grayfeather interjected and said quickly, "We need to be here when Amberstar leaves. Let's not today."

Finchwing scowled, but said reluctantly, "Yeah, Grayfeather's right. We'll go some other time, 'kay, Poolgaze?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I understand."

"Let's go get something to eat, then," Grayfeather suggested. Then she padded off toward the fresh-kill pile, ready to eat.

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><p>An hour or so later, Amberstar walked out of her den. With a flick of her tail, she summoned her deputy, Icefang, and murmured to him. He nodded in understanding, then leapt back down to the camp floor.<p>

Amberstar walked down and greeted the three young she-cats. "It is time," she told them gravely.

"Let's go!" Finchwing exclaimed with a smile.

Amberstar led the three of them out of the camp, her head held high. A few cats called out greeting to their leader, which the gold-furred she-cat returned with a nod and a smile.

Poolgaze murmured to Finchwing in the back of their small party, leaving Grayfeather at the front with Amberstar.

"Why has Dovewing the Ancient called us to the Moonpool?" she asked ThunderClan's leader.

Amberstar shrugged. "I don't know. All Gingerstar said was that all would be revealed in time."

"Very vague," Grayfeather sniffed disapprovingly.

The older she-cat only smiled. "StarClan always is."

"That can be rather annoying," she observed.

"It is, at times," the golden-furred leader agreed. "But trust in StarClan. Our warrior ancestors know what they are doing."

They walked in silence for a while, listening to the sounds of the forest. Then Grayfeather, a little troubled, said uncertainly, "Amberstar? Do...do you really believe in the old stories, about the Three?"

Amberstar turned to her, blinking surprised gray eyes. "Well, of course I do!"

"See, I told you!" Poolgaze exclaimed victoriously.

Grayfeather frowned, confused and doubtful. "But...really? Even the parts about silly things like going back in time and reading minds and all?"

"Yes," Amberstar purred. "I do believe it. It's our history."

"Hmm," Grayfeather mused. She still wasn't so sure.

They reached the WindClan border and hopped the stream. Amberstar led them confidently upstream through WindClan's territory.

"Won't WindClan be upset that we're traveling in their territory?" Poolgaze asked in a nervous tone.

"Cats of every Clan are allowed to travel travel to the Moonpool without interference," Amberstar explained. "Not even Ironstar would violate that law."

Grayfeather nodded in agreement. While WindClan's leader Ironstar was a fierce old warrior and an inspiring leader to his cats, he despised ThunderClan. Even still, cats journeying to the Moonpool—even cats from other Clans—were protected by the warrior code.

After a short while, the sun set and the moon rose. Their twin colors mingled together in the twilight, staining the sky a deep and muddled purple. Soon the air darkened, and bright, twinkling stars lit up the night.

Gradually, the sounds of the giggling stream deepened into the gentle murmur of a splashing pond.

"We are almost there," Amberstar said gravely.

Grayfeather smiled, trying to contain her excitement. The stream turned a corner. The four cats followed it, and she gasped in awe.

Here the border stream had its start in a pond surrounded by pale gray stone. A small fall of water cascaded down a short rock face and into the clear pool, sparkling with the reflection of the starlight.

Sitting in front of the Moonpool, her head bowed, was a small gray-furred she-cat, her tail wrapped around her stationary body. A faint glow rose off her body, silver in the starlight.

She lifted her head, revealing pale green-blue eyes. "I have been waiting for you," she said in greeting, her voice soft.

Respectfully, Amberstar dipped her head. Hurriedly, Grayfeather followed suit, anxious to impress this wondrous stranger. She could sense Finchwing and Poolgaze behind her doing the same.

"Dovewing," their leader said reverently.

"Come, Amberstar," Dovewing instructed her. "StarClan wishes to speak to you and give you guidance. Drink from the Moonpool, and sleep."

Amberstar nodded and padded up to the water. She laid down beside it, then lapped up a few mouthfuls, before closing her eyes with a sigh and falling asleep.

Uncertainly, Grayfeather took a step forward.

"No," Dovewing warned. "Not you three." She stood up and walked closer to them. "Hmm," she murmured. "So, she chose you...I suppose you will work..."

"Excuse me?" Finchwing said, sounding both confused and slightly offended.

Dovewing nodded, meeting the golden tabby's amber eyes. "Forgive me. I am so alone here...I forget my manners. Please, sit."

Warily, the three young she-cats obeyed her gentle command.

"You have a long journey ahead of you," she said softly.

"What do you mean?" Poolgaze asked shyly.

"You will see," Dovewing said vaguely.

Finchwing scowled, and for once, Grayfeather had to agree. This mystery nonsense was growing very old, very quickly.

Poolgaze, however, seemed content with that answer. The Tagalong never did question orders, she reflected, even when they were orders worth questioning.

"There is evil afoot," Dovewing said sadly. "And only you can stop it."

"What?" Grayfeather said in alarm.

"Really?" Finchwing said eagerly, almost at the same time. The sisters glared at each other, then looked back to the ancient guardian of the Clans.

"Your task will be hard," Dovewing continued, "but it will save the Clans in more ways than you can imagine."

Finchwing grinned in excitement. Of course. This was just her thing—at last, a _real_ adventure. Grayfeather wanted no part in this, but she couldn't bring herself to say no to such a mythical cat.

"Are you really alive?" she asked instead. "Like the stories say? Or are you just a StarClan cat?"

"I am alive," Dovewing answered her. "The guardian of the Clans. But I cannot do my work alone. Will you agree to this? Will you save the Clans?"

"Of course!" Finchwing exclaimed, her amber eyes shining with excitement.

"Yes," Poolgaze agreed.

Grayfeather hesitated, but the pleading look in her sister's eyes finally won her over. "Oh, alright," she grumbled.

"Then go to the pool, and drink," Dovewing instructed.

They approached the water and lapped it up. Grayfeather's tongue burned cold with fiery starlight, and she felt her vision grow fuzzy. A strange mist of pinkish-orange filled her view, and all she remembered before her world went dark was a terrible sense of betrayal, and a cry for her mother, back safe in the ThunderClan camp.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey, I'm not dead! Sorry that I haven't updated this in a while - I had finals. Bleugh. And then I accidentally joined the Lord of the Rings fandom.

Since I last updated this fic, I wrote three oneshots (one for the Belgariad/Malloreon and two for the Hobbit). If you like either of those things, I'd appreciate them if you dropped a review!

Well, here's chapter five - I'll try to update weekly once more, but no promises! Enjoy!

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><p><strong>CHAPTER FIVE<strong>

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><p>Finchwing could feel the change in her bones and her fur. It didn't hurt, but she couldn't help feeling alarmed. She had been so very excited for her adventure that she had raced to the Moonpool and eagerly taken a sip of the waters.<p>

Now this was happening. The mist had been bad enough, but now her body was...changing. It tingled and frightened her. What was going on?

She wanted to cry out, to speak to Grayfeather and Poolgaze, but it was to no avail. Her mouth wasn't working properly. She screamed internally, until finally she fell with a thump to the ground, scraping bare skin on rough, stinking stone.

For a little while, she just laid there, trying in vain to comprehend what had happened to her. At last, Finchwing groaned and tried to sit up, only to fall back down in shock and horror.

She wasn't a cat anymore.

What was wrong with her? she thought in panic. She tried to push herself up with spindly, furless arms, and she looked down at her new body.

In disgust and terror, she realized that she had somehow become a Twoleg. Finchwing groaned and lifted her arms, examining them. Thin, wispy hairs covered them and her disproportionately long legs—why were they not the same length as her arms?—and the rest of her body. She seemed to be thin for a Twoleg. She hadn't seen very many of the strange creatures in the forest, but she did know that they were a diverse species, much like cats, coming in all shapes, shades, and sizes.

Her skin was a paler color, though it had a tannish tinge to it that was hard to make out in the scant light. She pulled at her head fur, the only substantial kind Twolegs had, until she could hold some in front of her face. It was a reddish color, almost the same shade as her cat fur had been.

She let out a little sob, feeling her eyes water. Was this some strange Twoleg thing as well? Did their eyes get wet when they were sad?

Finchwing looked around, trying to adjust to her new body. She could see two other Twolegs nearby, one curled up in a ball, one lying flat on the ground.

"Grayfeather?" she asked hesitantly. "Poolgaze?"

The one on the ground groaned and sat up. She had soft brown head fur and Grayfeather's pale green eyes and skin the same color as her own.

"Finchwing?" the brown-furred Twoleg asked in Grayfeather's voice.

"Yeah, it's me," she said in a trembling voice.

The Twoleg in the curled position sat up straight. She was small, with dark black hair and Poolgaze's clear blue eyes. "Oh StarClan," she whimpered in a broken voice. It was clearly their little Tagalong. "We're...we're Twolegs!" She let out a loud, raucous sob that sounded awfully like a yelp.

"Keep it down!" Grayfeather protested. She scowled. "Dovewing tricked us! That dirty traitor..."

"No, no!" Finchwing disagreed. "She probably meant for this to happen! This is part of our quest!"

Poolgaze let out another high-pitched sob. "We'll be stuck like this forever! We'll never get back to ThunderClan!"

Finchwing clumsily got to her feet. She felt all sorts of odd muscle movements and made a face. She, along with the other two, wore some sort of Twoleg overpelt. Hers was a thin, reddish-orange thing that hung over her top half. A tight band of the stuff covered and supported two jiggling bags of flesh fat on her chest. She also had an overpelt on her legs. The others were wearing similar overpelts, only in different colors.

Grayfeather got up as well. The sisters sighed and exchanged glances, then pulled Poolgaze up to her feet as well. She looked noticeably younger than Grayfeather and Finchwing, with bigger eyes and a little more fat on her belly, along with a shorter stature.

"What are we going to do?" Poolgaze asked in a small voice. She sniffled, wiping her teary eyes.

"Oh my God," an alien voice said from behind them.

Finchwing turned, instinctively balling her paw-fists and crouching down into a fighting position. She whirled around to see two more Twolegs, both flat-chested and short-haired, which meant they were toms.

One of them had dark brown hair, and other had blonde. Their features were similar enough that they could be related. The one who had spoken was the dark-haired male.

"Are you guys okay?" the blonde-haired one asked in concern. "We heard noises, so we came to investigate."

Finchwing relaxed slightly, standing up straight. She frowned at the dark-furred Twoleg. "I...yes, we're fine."

"Finchwing," Grayfeather hissed. "Be careful. We don't know if we can trust them."

"Hey, chill, babe," the dark-haired one said with a winning smile. "We aren't out to hurt you. You guys sure that you're fine? You don't need a walk home or anything?"

"Um..." Poolgaze glanced at Finchwing, then back at the Twoleg males. "I'm thirsty, actually. Is there any water around here?"

"And food?" Finchwing added. She felt her stomach rumble.

"Wow, you guys sure you don't need a ride home?" the dark-haired tom-Twoleg asked in surprise. "I'm sure our parents won't mind if we borrowed the car for a bit."

"Finchwing, what are you doing?" Grayfeather hissed. "We can't trust them!"

"I'm going to," she hissed back. "I'm in charge here!"

"Says who?" her sister demanded.

Finchwing elbowed the other she-Twoleg out of the way. "Says me." She smiled prettily at the males. "I'm sorry, but we don't actually live around here. Do you know of a place we could stay tonight?"

"All three of you?" the lighter-furred one asked. "Well...I guess so. We'd have to ask our parents first."

"Kyle..." the other Twoleg said hesitantly. "Are you sure—"

"We can at least get them some food and water," the lighter-haired one reasoned.

"All right, fine," the darker-haired one said with a sigh. He turned back to them and said, "I suppose we should introduce ourselves. I'm Samuel Crimsen, but you can call me Sammy. This here's my little brother Kyle."

"Hi," Kyle said with a wave. Hesitantly, Finchwing waved back.

"Follow us," Sammy said, turning and walking along the path.

They were in a Twolegplace. It seemed much smaller now that they were bigger and taller, and even though it smelled bad, it wasn't nearly as nasty as it would have been if they were still cats.

"Are we going to tell them our names?" Poolgaze hissed as they walked along.

"Sure," Finchwing agreed.

"But we don't have Twoleg names!" Grayfeather protested. "We have warrior names!"

"So?" she said. She raised her voice and said, "I guess we'll tell you our names, too. I'm Finchwing." She pointed to the brown-haired she-Twoleg. "She's my sister, Grayfeather."

"And I'm their friend Poolgaze," the black-furred female piped up.

"Nice names," Sammy said in amusement.

"Are they like code names or something?" Kyle asked.

"No," Grayfeather said frostily. "Those are our real names."

"Are you girls like Native American?" Sammy asked.

"What?" Poolgaze said blankly.

"We're not from here," Finchwing explained. She knew that they would think she was crazy if she said that they were supposed to be cats, so she improvised. "We got a little lost."

"How did you _get_ here?" Kyle asked suspiciously.

"There was this pool—" the young Poolgaze piped up. A stern glare from Finchwing shut her up, but it only left the male Twolegs curious.

Kyle muttered something to his brother, but Sammy only laughed and exclaimed, "You've been watching too much Blue Moon, bro. Nerd."

Kyle sighed and rolled his eyes. Suddenly, Sammy stopped and turned, walking toward one of the Twoleg nests.

"This is our house," he explained. "Come on in."


	6. Chapter 6

Yeah...sorry it took me so long to get this up, I'm super busy with school and homework. I don't think I can keep up once weekly updates, not with school and everything else. But I'll update this when I can! Thanks for waiting!

Here's chapter six, told for the first time from Sammy Crimsen's POV...

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><p><strong>CHAPTER SIX<strong>

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><p>Sammy led the girls into the house, opening the door quietly. He looked around, exchanging a look with Kyle. He wasn't sure how their parents would take this, though he suspected they would be good sports about it.<p>

He glanced over to the redheaded girl, Finchwing. Man, those names were weird. Still, they did say they weren't "from here". Maybe they were from another country or something.

Anyway, that redhead was hot. He had to tear his gaze away from her and act like everything was normal. She seemed pretty badass, too, which was something he liked in girls. If she—and the other two—were staying, maybe he could have a chance with her.

Or maybe not. She glared back at him frostily, and Sammy hastily looked away. She didn't seem to like him very much, though she was cordial enough when asking for a place to stay.

"Hey, Dad! Mom!" Kyle called out beside him. "There's...um...something we need to talk about! Like...right now!"

Their mother, dressed in pajamas, stomped down the stairs. "Hi, boys," she said with a smile. "Back so soo—who are they?" Her tone changed from welcoming to sharply suspicious as she saw the three girls in the doorway.

"Yeah," Sammy said. "That was what we need to talk about."

"These girls were lost out at the front of the neighborhood," Kyle explained. "We asked them if they needed any help, and—"

"—and they said they needed food, water, and a place to stay," Sammy finished. By now, their father had also come downstairs and was listening with interest. "We thought we might be able to help, if you let us."

Annie frowned. "Are you girls sure you need a place to stay? I could give you a ride home, if you need one."

"No, we definitely need a place to stay," Finchwing said firmly.

"If you're willing," the brown-haired girl, Grayfeather, added.

"Please?" the black-haired girl, Poolgaze, asked hopefully.

Annie exchanged a glance with her husband. "Well..."

"Kyle can sleep with Sammy," Ryan suggested. "The girls can sleep in Kyle's room." He glanced at the girls. "But not forever, you understand. One or two nights at most. Then we'll get you home."

"I'll have to cancel the dinner with Gennie," Annie sighed.

Kyle groaned. "But I'll have to do the dishes tomorrow, too!"

"Sammy can do them," Annie said. She turned to the girls. "And what are your names?"

"I'm Finchwing," she said. "That's Grayfeather, and she's Poolgaze."

Annie paled visibly. Sammy watched in confusion as she exchanged an almost frightened look with Ryan, but she regained her composure somewhat and said firmly to the boys, "Go to bed. Kyle, clean up your room and take your things to Sammy's room. I'll come up and check on you in a little bit."

"Mom!" Kyle complained. "But I—"

"Now, Kyle," Ryan said, firmly backing up his wife's decision. "You too, Sammy."

Sammy scowled, but he stomped up the stairs. As soon as the talk moved away from the entry hall and into the kitchen, he grabbed his brother's sleeve and whispered, "Take your shoes off. Let's eavesdrop."

"But Mom and Dad said—"

"Shh! Come on!"

Sammy slid his shoes off his feet and lightly tiptoed downstairs, straining his ears to hear the conversation.

"Girls, your names," their mother was saying.

"What about them?" Grayfeather asked sharply.

"I'll get you guys some food," Sammy heard their dad say.

"They're not normal human names," Annie continued, her voice trouble. "They sound like..."

"We're not from here," Poolgaze piped up. Sammy imagined, though he couldn't see, that Finchwing, the hot redhead, was glaring at their mom with those deep brown eyes.

"They sound like warrior names," Annie said quietly.

Except for the sounds of Dad preparing a meal, there was silence in the kitchen. Then Finchwing spoke up.

"How do you know about that?" she asked sharply.

"We were warriors once, too," Ryan said simply.

Sammy glanced at Kyle in confusion. Warriors? What were they talking about? Had their mom and dad secretly been in some war or battle and not told anyone? Were these weird names like code names or something?

"You were?" Poolgaze asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

The microwave beeped, and the delicious smell of corndogs wafted through the air. "Here you girls go," Ryan said cheerfully. "It's not mice, but it'll do. Twoleg food is actually pretty good. Most of it."

"How did you guys become Twolegs, then, if you were cats?" Grayfeather asked suspiciously.

"How did _you_ two become Twolegs?" Annie retorted.

"Dovewing the Wise summoned us to the Moonpool," Finchwing explained. "She promised us an adventure, then we drank from the pool and...we weren't cats anymore. We were Twolegs."

"Humans," Ryan corrected. "That's what we call ourselves."

There was a tapping noise, then the sound of someone hesitantly biting into a corndog. "This is good!" Poolgaze exclaimed through a mouthful of meat and fried bread.

The girls began to eat, and Annie explained things. Sammy was flabbergasted to hear all this. It was crazy! Warriors? Shapeshifting? The girls were actually _cats_—and so were their _parents_?

"I was born a human," Mom began. "When I was twelve, my entire class...young Twolegs learning together...we went to the Moonpool. We messed with the water, and somehow we were turned into cats. It's a very long story."

"We've got time," Finchwing said. "I want to hear this."

"Fine," Annie said with a sigh. "I went to ThunderClan and befriended them. I lived there for a very long time. I even became their leader—maybe you know me. My warrior name was Gingerstar."

"What?" Poolgaze said in surprise. "But Amberstar said she was the one who told us to go to the Moonpool!"

Annie frowned. "I did deliver a message to her," she said thoughtfully, "just the other night." Her tone darkened. "So _this_ is what Star and Moon meant...not their fault, huh? We'll see about that..."

"Go on," Grayfeather prompted.

"I'm Lionblaze, by the way," Ryan interrupted.

Sammy was finding this hard to take. Were their parents and these girls just pulling an elaborate prank on them? If so, it was working. Kyle gazed at him with wide, scared eyes.

"Do you think they're telling the truth?" he whispered.

Sammy shrugged. "It seems impossible, but..."

"This is just like an episode of Blue Moon," his younger brother muttered under his breath. Sammy had to resist the urge to laugh at the little nerd.

"Well, you should know the story of Lionblaze and Gingerstar," Annie said. "We made it back here...somehow...we turned into cats twice after that, but that's not pertinent to this story. We're happy now, living as Annie and Ryan Crimsen, with four children and a normal life. We were promised we wouldn't be bothered again." There was an edge to her words, a tone Sammy had never heard before in her voice.

"We didn't choose for this to happen," Grayfeather told her. "It just...happened."

"Well, actually—" Poolgaze piped up.

"No," Annie said. Sammy imagined she was shaking her head. "This isn't your fault, I understand. I'm not mad. You girls can stay...until you turn back. You do want to turn back, don't you?"

"Absolutely," Grayfeather said, as her sister Finchwing said at the same time, "As soon as our adventure is over."

Sammy could hear the uncomfortable silence between the two sisters, broken by Poolgaze. "I'd be happy to go back, but we were promised an adventure."

"Explain," Ryan prompted.

"Dovewing told us we'd have an adventure," Finchwing said. "This kind of is, but I was under the impression that there would be action and stuff."

"Honey, you don't know adventures," Annie said gently. "You don't want a real one. I'd say this is adventure enough for you."

"We'll help you find a way back," Ryan promised.

"Thanks," Grayfeather said.

"But now, you'd best go to sleep," Annie said briskly, pushing back her chair and getting to her feet. "I'll help you get situated."

Sammy glanced at Kyle, wide-eyed. "We've gotta go!" he hissed. "Before they see!"

"And boys," Mom called out, raising her voice. "I knew you were there the whole time. Clean up Kyle's room and come see me. Now."

"So they know now?" Finchwing asked.

"I'll talk to them," Annie said firmly.

Blushing with embarrassment—how had they been caught? They had been so careful!—Sammy ran upstairs behind Kyle. They hurriedly cleaned up the younger boy's room, taking his things to Sammy's room. Sammy peeked into Holly and Mason's room, to find them both fast asleep. He smiled, then closed the door and walked with Kyle back downstairs.

Mom was busy getting the girls comfortable in Kyle's room, so the two brothers waited awkwardly in the kitchen while their dad cleaned up the girls' dinner.

"Boys, what did your mother tell you?" Ryan asked with a chuckle.

"Dad, we were _curious_!" Kyle protested.

"Besides, _we_ were the ones who brought them home!" Sammy added.

"Your mother told you to go to bed," Ryan said firmly. "I don't think you'll be in _too_ much trouble, but you overheard some pretty serious stuff."

"Is...is it true?" Kyle asked hesitantly. "About the warrior cat stuff?"

Ryan nodded soberly. "It is. You're probably thinking we're crazy, but it's still true. Your mother recorded our adventures, after they had all happened. The first one isn't too good, but her writing skills improved over time. You should read them, to find out the whole story."

Annie walked back down the stairs. Ryan leaned down slightly to kiss her, then murmured a goodbye to his wife and eldest sons, going upstairs. Now Sammy and Kyle were all alone with their scowling mother.

"What did I tell you boys?" she demanded crossly. "There was a _reason_ I didn't want you overhearing that!"

"Did you think we'd think you're crazy?" Sammy retorted. "Because you kind of are, Mom!"

Their mother's eyes flashed dangerously. "You don't know what I've been through to keep myself and this family happy, Sammy! The least you can do is listen to me! And I _know_ what crazy feels like! This isn't it."

Sammy was taken aback by the hurt in her voice. "O-okay," he stammered. "I'm sorry, Mom. You're right, we should have listened to you..."

Annie's blue gaze, so much like Sammy's own, softened. "It's okay, hun," she sighed, sitting down next to her sons. "I overreact sometimes...a lot of the time...but these are kind of painful memories, in a way." She looked down. "There were more, before I had you four. We had children, when we were cats. We had to leave them behind. I was afraid that if you found out...if you got involved...I would lose you too, in one way or another."

Kyle's eyes widened, and he stammered out, "We wouldn't leave you, Mom!"

"It's not so much you leaving me that I was afraid of," she said sadly. "It's the other things. The other people." She shook her, then looked back up. "You can't tell anyone. Not even Mason or Holly. They can't know our secret. Those three girls...I don't know why Dovewing sent them here, but we've got to keep them safe and send them back as soon as they can." She hesitated. "Kyle, Sammy...since you two know, will you help? It'll be hard. I'm asking you, not ordering you."

Sammy and Kyle exchanged a brief glance before nodding. "Yeah," Sammy said.

"We'll help," Kyle agreed.

Annie smiled. "Thanks, boys." She glanced at the clock. "It's almost midnight! What are you two doing awake still? Go to bed!"

Groaning, Sammy and Kyle got to their feet and trudged up the stairs and into Sammy's room. They quickly changed into pajamas and crawled into bed; or, in Kyle's case, a sleeping bag on the floor.

Annie said goodnight, then left, shutting the door behind her. The two brothers laid still and silent for awhile. Then Sammy broke the silence. "You know, you're right. This _is_ something straight of Blue Moon."

"Except Jessica, Bridget, and Jeremy aren't here," Kyle joked.

Sammy snorted in laughter. "They might show up. Nerd."

Kyle sighed in exasperation and rolled over. "Get some sleep, Sammy."

"You know it's true, bro!" he exclaimed with a grin. He sighed, confused but happy. "Man, Finchwing is smoking hot."

"Sleep, not girls, Sammy!" Kyle exclaimed.

He grinned. "Good night, Kyle."

"Good night, Sammy."

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><p><em>- Read and <strong>review<strong>__!_


	7. Chapter 7

Guys, I'm not really feeling this fic any more...I'm mostly writing it out of a sense of duty. I'm probably going to be leaving the Warriors fandom soon, and if I really just can't get back the motivation on this fic I might drop it altogether. Some words of encouragement would be nice...I'm not really getting many reviews. :/

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><p><strong>CHAPTER SEVEN<strong>

Poolgaze slept uneasily that night. The strange, flat floors and uncomfortable nest called a "sleeping bag" were not helpful to inducing drowsiness, and though she usually slept deeply, her surroundings made her feel uneasy.

She finally drifted off to sleep well past her tiredness, and when she did, strange dreams awaited her.

Poolgaze dreamed she was a cat again, standing in the ThunderClan camp, though no one seemed to notice her presence. She watched as Amberstar nosed her way into camp, a detached look of fright in her pale eyes.

Several cats walked up to her and greeted her. She nodded to each one, seeming rather distracted.

Thorntail padded up Amberstar, a frown on his face. "Didn't Finchwing go with you? And Poolgaze and Grayfeather?"

"Yes," she admitted, swishing her tail uneasily.

"Well, where are they?" the black tom demanded.

Amberstar couldn't meet his eyes. "They...I..." She took a deep breath. "They're gone. I don't know where they went."

"What?" someone called out in dismay. "Gone?"

There was a clamor of distressed voices, but Amberstar steeled herself and stood up taller, shouting out, "ThunderClan! ThunderClan! Calm down! Quiet!"

At last, the yelling died down, and Amberstar could speak her piece.

"The three she-cats vanished while I was sharing tongues with StarClan," she announced. "I am very worried about them. Our warrior ancestors did not share any words of wisdom on this subject, and Dovewing was not present when I woke. I looked for a very long time, but I was unable to track their scent anywhere." She took a deep breath. "I wish to organize a search party to look for our missing Clanmates. Who will go with me?"

"I will!" Thorntail exclaimed.

"I will!" an older she-cat, Icefur, called out.

"I will!" Greenheart, the mother of Finchwing and Grayfeather, volunteered.

Two more cats, a young tom called Redsplash and an apprentice named Owlpaw, also volunteered their services. Amberstar soon left with them, leaving her deputy, Icefang, in charge in her absence.

Poolgaze watched sadly as they left. She tried to call out to them, to reassure them, but no one seemed to hear her cries of, "I'm here! Don't worry!" Of course. It was only a dream, after all.

She slumped down in defeat, unsure if this was real or not.

"It is real," a smooth, mysterious male voice said.

"What?" she exclaimed, jumping to her paws.

"This dream is real," an equally mysterious female voice added.

Poolgaze blinked in confusion. "Oh—okay. And..." She paused. "It's just a dream, then? I'll go back to being a Twoleg later?"

"Yes, sweet child," the female voice said comfortingly.

"But I want to go home," she whispered, looking at the ground.

"You will go home, eventually," the male voice said. "But for now you must watch."

The dream changed. Now Poolgaze was standing in front of her mother, Embertail, and her mother's friend Snakeclaw.

"I can't believe she's gone," Embertail said heavily.

"Why didn't you go on the search party?" Snakeclaw asked. "I thought for sure you would."

Embertail shook her head. "I'm too old." She sighed. "I'm thinking of retiring soon. Poolgaze was the only kit I had in my last litter, and I've lived a long life of motherhood and war. I can only hunt now, and my reflexes are slow even then. I'd only drag them down."

It hurt Poolgaze to see her mother like this, so sad and dejected, but she knew Embertail couldn't hear her comforting words.

"Isn't there some way I can help?" she demanded, looking up at the sky, where the disembodied voices seemed to be coming from. "Something to reassure her?"

"Not her," the female voice said. "But perhaps your leader, Amberstar."

"Can you take me to her?" Poolgaze asked hopefully. "Even if it's only in a dream."

"Yes," the male voice said agreeably. "We will go there now."

The dream changed again, and Poolgaze found herself sitting in front of the sleeping body of Amberstar, lying all alone in an unfamiliar forest.

"Where are we?" she asked, keeping her voice quiet so she wouldn't wake her slumbering leader.

"We are in the dream forest of Amberstar," the male voice explained. "Hush! She stirs, she dreams."

Amberstar lifted her head, her piercing grey eyes looking up into Poolgaze's pure blue stare. "Poolgaze?" she gasped, her face lighting up in a smile. "You're alright!"

"I..." She didn't know what to say, she wasn't ready! She shook her head. "No, I'm not alright the way you want it."

"What do you mean?" Amberstar asked.

"This is just a dream, Amberstar," Poolgaze explained. "Something...happened at the Moonpool."

"Don't tell her about the humans," the female voice whispered in her ear.

"I can't go back to ThunderClan, not yet," Poolgaze said instead. "None of us can. Don't...don't search for us. Guard the Clan. Please, Amberstar?"

"But where have you gone?" Amberstar demanded. "Why can't you come back?"

"I...I can't tell you!" Poolgaze explained, swishing her tail in distress. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry. But we will come back! I promise."

Amberstar began to fade. "I'll call off the search party, then," she said, her voice growing quieter as she vanished away. "I'll tell them StarClan told me to..."

"Yes," Poolgaze agreed, calling out louder. "And tell my mother not to worry!"

"I will, Poolgaze!" Amberstar called out. Poolgaze thought she heard the amber-furred leader repeat the words "I will" one more time before she disappeared, but she wasn't sure.

"Now what?" she asked in a small voice. "Do I go back? Back the Twoleg nest, with Gingerstar and Lionblaze as humans?"

"Yes," the male voice agreed.

"Just a minute," the female voice interrupted him. "There's something else."

"What?" she asked curiously.

"Tell the other two, and Annie if you think she might benefit, that it's no use finding a way back yet," the female voice said. "We'll get you back when it's time." There was a sigh. "I wish there was some other way—we did promise Annie we'd leave her alone—but this threat is too great to be ignored."

"Tell Annie and Ryan to watch the younger children," the male voice said warningly.

"Is that all?" Poolgaze asked. She wanted sleep—real sleep, not dream sleep.

"That is all, for tonight," the female voice said. "Sleep well, Poolgaze..."

"Thanks," she said, yawning even in her dream. Then the dream and the voices faded, and she was left all alone in peace.


End file.
